I just recently discovered the Anne of Green Gables video series, thanks to a group of girlfriends of mine who had the ingenious idea to have an Anne video tea party. OMG – we had all kinds of fun! I will admit that initially I went more out of a desire to hang out with some “kindred spirits” than anything else, but after seeing the movie, I was well and truly hooked.

Anne is a precocious, outrageously outspoken orphan girl with flaming red hair which she thinks is the bane of her existence, and an imagination to match. All of the trouble she seems to land herself in only serves to make her more and more endearing.

After my Anne encounter, I immediately thought of my girls. I have a 15 year old (Bimi) and a 12 year old (Temi) in whom I’d really like to instill an appreciation for the old classics. I mean, I guess High School Musical and CGI movies have their place in pop culture and all, but what about the timeless oldies like Sound of Music (one of my personal favorites)?

I knew Bimi and Anne were kindred spirits with their technicolor flights of fancy and love of the written word, but I wasn’t so sure about my laid-back, Disney-doting Temi. Anyway, armed with the first Anne DVD which I borrowed from a friend and appropriate snacks, we had a girls’ movie night. What a night! We laughed at Anne’s melodramatic antics, cried when Matthew died and loved every one of the 195 minutes (it ended at 1 am). What’s more, the girls want to watch it again and haven’t stopped talking about it and dropping Anne quotes since! They even walk past the DVD and break into giggles over one scene or the other that they remember from it. Warms my belly, it does!

Next weekend, the same group of ladies are getting together for another tea party viewing of Anne – The Sequel, raspberry cordial included (you have to watch the movie to get that inside joke). I’ll be taking my young ladies with me and we can’t wait…wanna come?

Today marks the day I was born, many, many, many, many years ago – or so it seems! When I look back on my life, I feel like I’ve lived many lifetimes. And I’ve loved each one of them. Maybe not necessarily while they were happening (for some of them), but certainly after the fact.

It was a quiet day, spent at home with the family (not counting the couple of hours at the gym), with good food and good company. Plenty of time to ponder my many blessings, take all my birthday phone calls and respond to each of the umpteen Facebook birthday greetings I got (yes, I’m weird like that). I feel so blessed! Sure if I had it to do over, I’d script a few things a little differently. For example, I’d have washboard abs and better hand-eye coordination. I’d have my son home for the weekend from college. When my Dad called from Nigeria, I’d get to also hear my Mom’s voice, instead of sending her hugs and messages through God. I’d have answers to some of the questions I’m asking God during this season of my life…you know, stuff like that.

For now, though, there are many things in the script of my life that I am most grateful for. Things like good health. A family I love, that loves me back. Friends who care. A car that’s old, but paid for. A nice roof over my head. Food in my fridge and pantry; a fridge and pantry! Nice clothes and shiny, pretty things to wear with them. Oh, and the shoes…yeah, I’m a shoe girl and I like my shoes. For these, and so much more, I am truly thankful.

So here it is, the other half of the Seuss book, “Oh the places you’ll go!” Enjoy…

You can get so confused
that you’ll start in to race
down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace
and grind on for miles across weirdish wild space,
headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.
The Waiting Place…

…for people just waiting.
Waiting for a train to go
or a bus to come, or a plane to go
or the mail to come, or the rain to go
or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow
or waiting around for a Yes or a No
or waiting for their hair to grow.
Everyone is just waiting.

Waiting for the fish to bite
or waiting for wind to fly a kite
or waiting around for Friday night
or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake
or a pot to boil, or a Better Break
or a sting of pearls, or a pair of pants
or a wig with curls, or Another Chance.
Everyone is just waiting.

NO!
That’s not for you!

Somehow you’ll escape
all that waiting and staying.
You’ll find the bright places
where Boom Bands are playing.

With banner flip-flapping,
once more you’ll ride high!
Ready for anything under the sky.
Ready because you’re that kind of a guy!

Oh, the places you’ll go! There is fun to be done!
There are points to be scored. there are games to be won.
And the magical things you can do with that ball
will make you the winning-est winner of all.
Fame! You’ll be famous as famous can be,
with the whole wide world watching you win on TV.

Except when they don’t.
Because, sometimes, they won’t.

I’m afraid that some times
you’ll play lonely games too.
Games you can’t win
’cause you’ll play against you.

All Alone!
Whether you like it or not,
Alone will be something
you’ll be quite a lot.

And when you’re alone, there’s a very good chance
you’ll meet things that scare you right out of your pants.
There are some, down the road between hither and yon,
that can scare you so much you won’t want to go on.

But on you will go
though the weather be foul
On you will go
though your enemies prowl
On you will go
though the Hakken-Kraks howl
Onward up many
a frightening creek,
though your arms may get sore
and your sneakers may leak.

On and on you will hike
and I know you’ll hike far
and face up to your problems
whatever they are.

You’ll get mixed up, of course,
as you already know.
You’ll get mixed up
with many strange birds as you go.
So be sure when you step.
Step with care and great tact
and remember that Life’s
a Great Balancing Act.
Just never forget to be dexterous and deft.
And never mix up your right foot with your left.

And will you succeed?
Yes! You will, indeed!
(98 and 3 / 4 percent guaranteed.)

KID, YOU’LL MOVE MOUNTAINS!

So…
be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray
or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O’Shea,
you’re off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.
So…get on your way!

This video is a reminder to me that no matter where we are located in this vast world of ours, there is more that unites us than divides us. It made me smile and choke back tears. I hope it touches you too and fills your belly with warmth and goodness. Click on the hyperlink below to watch it.

Have a fantastic weekend. For my fellow US residents, make some good memories on Memorial Day!

In our church, we don’t only celebrate mothers, but all women on this special day. This is because all women are mothers, in a sense. We are wired to be loving, nurturing and life-giving, whether it’s to our own progeny – biological, adopted, spiritual or otherwise – or someone else. That’s just how we roll!

For those of you women who are dealing with the characteristic frustrations of raising well-mannered children in a sometimes contrary culture, you’re not alone, as the following video featuring Anita Renfroe will demonstrate. For others, I know you will recall hearing these words at some point earlier on in your life. It’s amazing how similar mothers are, regardless of the language they speak, or what part of the world they live in. Even if you’re one of the 10,000,000 viewers who’ve seen it before, have another laugh at this video. By the way, you should hear some of the things she says in yoruba (a Nigerian language) like I did, growing up.

Thought I’d share another one of my favorites with you from Asa (pronounded Asha), a young Nigerian musician who uses her music to address social issues. I shared another one of her songs a while ago, called Fire on the Mountain. I just love her flavor and sincerity. This one is called 360 degrees. Enjoy…

Sometimes I miss those cute, funny things that kids say when they’re little. My kids are so grown now, but every once in a while my youngest, Temi, who just turned 12 will still say cute stuff that just tickles my funny bone!

My older daughter, Bimi, has a similar personality to her Dad. Because of that, every now and then, they will butt heads. I guess I must have expressed this a time or two because the other day, Temi asked, “Mom, is it because Dad and Bimi are so similar that they bang tusks?” Took me a minute to realize what she meant, but once I did, it made me miss those days when it was a regular occurrence.